Combined surgical instrument



Aug. 6, 1938. D. l. SOLOMON 2,127,190

COMBINED SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Original Filed March 1, 1937 2 Sheets-sheet1 DAV/O SOLOMON:

INVENTOR. BY W M A TTORNEY Aug. 16, 1938. D. SOLOMON 2,127,199

I COMBINED SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Original Filed March 1, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet 2 DAVID l- SOLOMON INVENTOR.

BYMM v ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics Substitute ofapplication Serial No.

This application February 2,

March 1, 1937.

1938, Serial No. 188,398

2 Claims.

This invention relates to cutting implements and an object of thisinvention is to provide a combined surgical instrument especiallydesigned for the use of physicians and surgeons.

Another object of this invention is to provide an instrument embodying atwo jaw structure whereby a suture may be severed and one end of thecord automatically held in tightly clamped relation in the instrumentafter it has been out.

Another object of this inventionis to provide an instrument of thecharacter described wherein means is provided for automatically latchingthe jaws in closed position after the cutting operation, so as to leaveone hand of the operator free.

Another object of this invention is to provide an instrument of thecharacter described which is of simple and eificient construction,easily manipulated, and having jaws which are well adapted to seize andcut a suture and automatically hold one end of the severed cord intightly clamped relation. This application has been filed in place ofabandoned application, Serial With the above and other objects in view,the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described, and thecombination and arrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanyingdrawings and pointed out in the claims which form part of thisspecification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals ofreference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a combined surgical instrument embodyingmy invention.

Figure 2 is an edge elevation of one of the elements of the instrument.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one of the jaws, thesection being taken as on line 3-3 in Figure 2, the view being on agreatly enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the complementary jaw,the section being taken as on line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side view of latching means which connect the jaws afteran article has been cut.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the combined surgical instrumentshowing the initial position when the cord to be cut is seizedor grippedbetween the jaws at one side thereof, the view being on a greatlyenlarged scale.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the jaws in the position whenthe cutting operation has just begun.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the jaws in the position whenthe cutting operation is completed and one end of the severed cord hasbeen tightly clamped and irremovably held in locked pressure engagement.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 shows acombined surgical instrument IlL'comprising a pair of levers I I, whichare fulcrumed together intermediate their ends by means of a pin I2 soas to provide short arms on one side of the pin and long arms on theother side. The short arms are in the form of jaws l3 and I4. The longarms are in the form of shanks l5 and I6 having at their ends loops ITfor the insertion of the fingers of the personusing the instrument.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the jaw i4 is substantially U-shaped incross-section and has a groove I8 extending lengthwise of the jaw. Thethree walls defining the groove I8 are substantially in right-angularrelation. The groove I8 faces the jaw I3 and is designed to receive inclose engagement the said jaw which is substantially of rectangularcross-section. The jaws I3 and I l form the clamping means at one sideof the instrument.

As shown in Figure 3, one side wall i9 defining the groove I3 has beenbeveled and sharpened to provide a longitudinal cutting blade 20. Asshown in Figure 4, one side wall 2| of the jaw I3, in adjoining relationwith the wall I9 has been beveled and sharpened to provide alongitudinal cutting blade 22. The blades and 22 are adapted to cut fromopposite sides against an object placed between them and jointlyfunction as shears.

The side wall 23 of the groove I8 serves to prevent lateral play betweenthe blades 20 and 22 during the cutting operation.

The side wall 24 of the jaw I3 has been formed slightly taperingoutwardly so as to be thinner at its non-engaging end 25 than at itsoperating end. One edge 26 of the jaw I3 has been rounded. A clearanceor clamping recess is thus formed at the side 23 between the jaws I3 andI4, when in closed relation.

The side wall 23 of the U-shaped jaw l4 extends outwardly to a greaterextent than the beveled cutting blade 29. The outer edge 21 of the jawI4 has been rounded. When the jaws are brought into operating relation,the rounded edge 25 and the side wall 23 grip the article to be cutbefore the cutting operation is started.

As shown in Figures 1 and 5 the looped ends of the shanks l5 and I6 haveintegral latch exteeth 30, 3|.

tensions 28 and 29 which project toward each other and are provided withoppositely extending When the looped ends are brought together, thelatch extensions spring apart to permit the teeth to pass. The teeththus engage each other resiliently and hold the'jaws l 3 and I 4 inclosed position when the bottom faces of the jaws come into forcedclamping engagement against one end of a severed suture.

It is evident that the combined instrument may be used in numerous otherways wherever it is desired to positively hold the severed article afterit has been cut. The embodiment of the invention which I have describedrefers to the preferred form thereof and it is evident that numerouschanges in the details of construction and in the combination andarrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

It is to be noted that my combined surgical instrument has a doubleclamping effect, first a light clamping effect before cutting to preventslippage during cutting, and then a positive clamping and holding effectwhen the cutting is finished and these combined actions result in a veryefiicient surgical instrument that is adapted for cutting suturematerial.

Figure 6 shows the initial position when the suture 32 to be out hasbeen lightly clamped to prevent slippage of: the suture during cutting.Figure 7 shows the second position when the'cutting operation has justbegun. Figure 8 shows the cutting operation completed and one end of thesevered suture tightly clamped and irremovably held in locked pressureengagement between the jaws l3 and I4.

I claim:

1. In a combined surgical instrument, a pair of levers crossed andpivoted together to provide relatively movable jaws, one of said jawshaving a substantially U-shaped cross-section designed to receive acomplementary tapering jaw of substantially rectangular cross-section,said tapering jaw having its smallest end directed outwardly,

one side of said U-shaped jaw being rounded and cooperating with saidtapering jaw to provide a clamping recess at one side, one side of saidU- shaped jaw being beveled and sharpened and cooperating with saidtapering jaw to provide shearing means, the rounded side of the U-shapedjaw extending outwardly to a greater extent than the beveled sidewhereby said instrument is adapted to exert a clamping action on anarticle being out before the cutting operation is started, the bottomwall ofthe jaw having a U-shaped section acting as an abutment for theother jaw and providing a clamping action therebetween for clamping onepiece of said severed article when said cutting operation is finished,and means for automatically latching said jaws and causing a cut articleto be held after cutting.

2. In a combined surgical instrument, a pair of levers pivoted togetherto provide relatively movable jaws, one of said jaws having asubstantially U-shaped cross-section designed to receive a complementarytapering jaw of substantially rectangular cross-section, said taperingjaw having its smallest end directed outwardly and having one roundededge at the acting face, one side of said U-shaped jaw being rounded andcooperating with the side of the tapering jaw having the rounded edge atthe acting face to provide a clamping recess at one side, one side ofsaid U- shaped jaw being beveled and sharpened and cooperating with saidtapering jaw to provide shearing means, the rounded side of the U-shapedjaw extending outwardly to a greater extent than the beveled sidewhereby said instrument is adapted to exert a light clamping action onan article'being out before the cutting operation is started, the bottomwall of the jaw having a U- shaped section acting as an abutment for theother jaw and providing a clamping action therebetween for clamping onepiece of said severed article when said cutting operation is finished,and means for automatically latching said jaws and causing a cut articleto be held after cutting.

DAVID I. SOLOMON.

